Selena Sloan Butler facts for kids
Selena Sloan Butler (1872–1964) was an amazing leader. She started the National Congress of Colored Parents and Teachers Association (NCCPT). This group helped parents and teachers work together. President Herbert Hoover even asked her to join a special conference in 1929. During World War II, she helped create the first Black women's "Gray Ladies" group for the Red Cross. Later, her group joined the National PTA. Today, Selena Sloan Butler is known as a co-founder of the National Parent-Teacher Association.
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Early Life and Education
Selena Sloan Butler was born on January 4, around 1872. This was in Thomasville, Georgia. It was just seven years after slavery ended. Her mother was Winnie Williams. Her father was William Sloan.
Selena went to an elementary school run by missionaries. She then studied at Spelman Seminary. This school is now Spelman College. She finished Spelman in 1888 when she was sixteen. After that, she started teaching in Atlanta.
Selena married Henry Rutherford Butler. He was a well-known African American doctor. He had studied at Harvard University. They had one son, Henry Jr. When Henry Jr. was almost old enough for school, Selena looked for a preschool. She could not find one in her area. So, she decided to open a kindergarten in her own home.
Starting the Parent-Teacher Movement
When her son, Henry, went to Yonge Street Elementary School, Selena wanted to help parents. She wanted them to get more involved in their children's learning. In 1911, she gathered other parents. Together, they started the National Congress of Colored Parents and Teachers Association (NCCPT). This was at Yonge Street Elementary School. It was the first parent-teacher group for African Americans in the United States.
Selena worked hard to help children and families. She wrote many letters. She asked parents and teachers of color to form groups. Their main goal was to connect homes and schools. They wanted to plan programs for child welfare. Her letters sparked a lot of interest. Her home state, Georgia, was the first to create a statewide group.
By 1926, Selena had inspired many people. She called for a national meeting. Four states sent people to this meeting. In that same year, the statewide group became the National Congress of Colored Parents and Teachers Association. The NCCPT was similar to the National Congress of Parents and Teachers. This was a group for white parents and teachers. Both groups worked together. They wanted to make schools better for all children. They also worked to help teachers.
National Recognition and Community Work
Selena's hard work caught the attention of President Herbert Hoover. In 1929, he asked her to join his White House Conference. This conference was about child health and safety. Selena represented the NCCPT. She worked on a committee for young children. Her work helped create the "Children's Chapter." She led the NCCPT for over thirty years.
Selena was also very active in her community. She helped start the Spelman College Alumnae Association. She also organized the Phyllis Wheatley Branch of the Atlanta YWCA. She was the first president of the Georgia Federation of Colored Women's Club. Selena was also a member of the Sigma Gamma Rho sorority. She was dedicated to helping others throughout her life.
Later Years and Lasting Legacy
After her husband passed away in 1931, Selena moved to England. She worked with a nursery school group there. Later, she came back to the United States. She lived with her son and his wife in Arizona. There, she started the first Black women's chapter of the Gray Ladies Corps.
Selena Sloan Butler passed away on October 7, 1964. She was 92 years old. She was buried next to her husband. This was at Oakland Cemetery in Atlanta. Today, a picture of Selena is in the Georgia State Capitol building.
In 1966, the City of Atlanta named Selena Sloan Butler Park after her. In 1970, she was officially named a founder of the National Parent-Teacher Association. In 1995, Selena was added to the Georgia Women of Achievement Hall of Honorees. Her work continues to inspire people today.
